Hannibal schools destroy recalled beef patties

Hannibal, NY -- About 80 pounds of government-recalled beef was found in the Hannibal school district's freezers and was destroyed.

Two cases of patties made from beef produced by the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co., the California meatpacker accused of slaughtering lame and sick cattle, were found one day before they were to be served to students.

The meat was removed from the cases, broken up and thrown into the garbage, said Debbie Richardson, manager of the district's school lunch program. The loss to the school district is probably less than $100 and may be reimbursed by the federal government, she said.

Ground beef used in other menu items was not from the California slaughterhouse, Richardson said.

The federal Department of Agriculture issued a recall of Westland/Hallmark's beef on Feb. 17 after the Humane Society of the United States released an undercover video showing workers at the plant using forklifts and other methods to get the sick animals to walk.

Of the 143 million pounds of beef recalled, 37 million pounds is believed to have gone to school lunch programs across the country.

Some of it may have been served to students before the recall was issued, Richardson said.